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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25945384">The Freezing Warmth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryptTheCryptid/pseuds/CryptTheCryptid'>CryptTheCryptid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gifts to the Server [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Evil Lila Rossi, Ghosts, Isolation, Kidnapping, Kidnapping ghosts, Lila Rossi Bashing, Low-key want a Lila anon, M/M, Marc and Nath just wanna vibe leave them alone, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Poor Marc, Slow To Update, Solid ghosts if that makes sense, but not the mean ones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:55:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25945384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryptTheCryptid/pseuds/CryptTheCryptid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marc, Nathaniel, and Luka are dead. Marc died in 1972, Nathaniel died in the 1940's, and Luka died more recently in 2011. Marc is Tom Dupain's twin who died when he was 16, Nath just wanted to have a good time and felt so attacked, and Luka saved his little sister (age 9) from drowning after she fell off the house boat.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marc Anciel &amp; Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gifts to the Server [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>MarcNath Fics!</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Never Say What Could Go Wrong</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Username8746489/gifts">Username8746489</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nathaniel Kurtzberg is dead, he has been for a while now; eighty years give or take a few and they still haven't figured it out. You see his body was burnt beyond recognition so they couldn't figure out who he was like that and they weren't as good at reconstructing faces back in the 1940’s as they are now. He was deemed a runaway whereas his body was declared the victim of circumstance and buried a John Doe, “victim of circumstance” his ass. Nathaniel won't rest until those assholes who did it are stuck in this limbo for eternity with him.</p><p>Marc Anciel-Dupain was declared missing May 30th, 1972. No one knew what happened to the boy until his body was discovered, tied up in a freezer in an old warehouse used by a group of thugs, where he was hidden along with the bodies of three other boys who were declared missing around the same time as him. When Marc reformed he couldn’t find these boys, he couldn’t even remember their names. But shortly after his death he stumbled across a fiery redhead, literally.<br/>
<br/>
Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s house was haunted, everyone in her family knew this. The ghost was far too young, only just older then Marinette. The ghost brought a cold feeling into every room, yet he had a smile that could melt the snow and blind a man. When everyone was busy he could be found roaming the city, seeking means to fix his boredom. But he always could lend an ear should Mari call for assistance, whether the problem was artist block or boy troubles Marc was always there. Until one day he wasn't.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Marc’s translucent figure wandered the winding streets of Paris, following Marinette Dupain-Cheng as she ran to Françoise Dupont College, carrying a pastry box with her. She rushed up the stairs into the building before slamming a door open with a cheerful shout.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not late!” Marinette exclaimed joyously. Her excitement was met with claps and congratulations from her peers, and a few laughs from the blonde muscle head in the front.</p><p> </p><p>Marc watched as his niece handed out macaroons from Dad’s old bakery to every classmate, even the girl with sausage hair, despite the fact that neither was fond of the other. The girl, albeit reluctantly, accepted the treat and forced a smile at the baker's daughter before biting into it.</p><p> </p><p>The lessons carried on as per usual with Mari’s friend Kim constantly challenging Alix to silly competitions, while his seatmate Max messed around with his robot Marcov. Eventually the school day ended and Marc followed Mari to the baker just as always. But today he was distracted, Nathaniel a pyro-poltergeist from the 1930’s was going to take him haunting later, and Marc couldn’t be more excited. Despite being a ghost for 48 years now he never found the time really haunt anyone so this would be his first time, the whole way home he puzzled over what kinds of things they would do, making the room colder usually weirded people out in the movies Mari and him watched on lazy saturdays, so he knew to do that but what else? He felt on top of the world, nothing could mess up his day.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Marc was so distracted in his thoughts he didn’t notice the silhouette that fell over him.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Nathaniel was nervous to say the least, Marc was usually very punctual but it was already 2:30 and he had yet to show. Worried Nathaniel flew over to the Dupain-Cheng household, hoping maybe Tom knew his brother's whereabouts. But neither Tom nor Sabine had seen him since he left with their daughter to school, and Mari hadn’t seen him either. So yea Nathaniel was very worried</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Questions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Short chapter sorry</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel and Lila - his apparent kidnappers - loomed over Marc, screeching questions that he didn’t have the answers to. Every attempt to tell them this was met with a scoff and a slap - how they managed to make him solid enough to slap, much less restrain him he had no idea - how could he possibly not know everything it's not like he has only been a ghost for forty eight years without contact to another ghosts except Luka and Nath.</p><p> </p><p>From what Marc gathered they wanted to revive someone or at the least wake a comatose patient if the woman in the glass coffin - what is this snow white - was anything to go by. Marc knew it was technically possible to guide a spirit back to their body if they were merely comatose; but if the heart has been stopped for a full 3 minutes, no return. Gabriel in particular didn’t seem to like that answer, so now Marc couldn’t feel his spine.</p><p> </p><p>He has scanned the room earlier but there didn’t seem to be any ways out for a normal human, if he were still intangible it would be as easy as breathing to walk out but for some reason Marc’s body was just as solid as it used to be so that crosses out out all but one option, waiting for Nath to come find him.</p><p> </p><p>This is gonna take a while</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Nathaniel was frantic, when the Dupain-Chengs hadn't seen Marc he knew something was wrong. Rushing around the town he checked in every place Marc usually liked to hide, the warehouse? No Marc. The abandoned factory? No Marc. The corner bookstore? No Marc. The Louvre? No Marc. </p><p> </p><p>After what felt like days he heard someone say his name, turning around frantically “Marc your ba-” His smile dimmed when he saw it was just Luka. “Oh hey squirt, whats up?”</p><p> </p><p>The guitarist flushed at the name “I-I told you to stop calling me that you're three years younger than me.” </p><p> </p><p>Nathaniel tutted “Only physically Lulu, I’m from the 40’s remember?” Nathaniel chuckled, “Anyway, what did you need exactly? I’m kinda in a rush.”</p><p> </p><p>“One, don't call me that. Two Mari wants to talk, she says it’s important.”</p><p> </p><p>Nath winced, “I don't know Luka, I’m looking for M-”<br/>“She thinks she knows where Marc is” Luka cut him off</p><p> </p><p>A moment passed before Nathaniel exploded in pent up energy “Why didn’t you start with that dumbass! Lets GO!” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Thy Sausage Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Whats going on with our Boy?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being stuck in a dark room with only a sleeping (dead?) woman for company was probably the most boring thing to ever happen in his afterlife so far. Snow White - yes Marc was calling her that - never woke up once, but her hair was slightly stained red from what Marc could see and she was pale as a ghost despite the patches of yellow and blue of unhealed bruising, some of her skin already rotten so she probably died years ago due to her injuries. And if the already healed scar running down half her face was anything to go off of, Marc would have to say that her death did not come out of the blue.</p><p>The Queen of Sausages herself strutted into the room - was the door really behind him the whole damn time and he didn't notice - her ugly hair-do for once not in her sausagey look and instead in a braid crown that met and turned into a large fishtail braid, it was - annoyingly enough - a good look on her, didn’t mean Marc wasn’t gonna mock her though.</p><p>“Hello thy highness, ditch the sausage head?” As usual his absolutely amazing roast was met by a slap to the face, everyone’s a critic.</p><p>“Can it fag.” Ok now that one’s just plain mean “Just tell me how to find a specific soul and you can go off on your way.”</p><p>I rolled my eyes, she really doesn't get it does she. “I’m sorry sausage-for-brains did you not hear me the past thirty times I’ve said it, the lady overthere’s ghost is probably already long gone already, not many ghosts choose to stay in the area near their death, you only stick around if you have unfinished business, or a family you genuinely care about. And seeing as she died of what looks like abuse I’m going to go on a limb and say she would be happy to never see your precious masters ugly mug ever again.”</p><p>Hours of questions, and more kicks to the balls than Marc cares to mention, Sausage head finally left slamming a door behind her.</p><p>“So the door is behind me” Marc murmured to himself, craning his neck in hopes to catch a glimpse of the thing blocking his freedom. </p><p>Surprisingly it wasn't anything impressive, just a common door. You would think Mr. Moneybags would spend more money on the door keeping the literal ghost from just getting up and leaving, there weren’t even cameras in the room, rich people trust chains far too much.</p><p>Straining his arms he combed to his hair - would the pins have stayed with him in the after life? - till he felt the cool metal of the clips in his hair, they were a bit broad but they were both fairly bendable.</p><p>After hours of fiddling around with his chains Marc yelled in frustration and threw the clips across the room.</p><p>“Fuck” Marc swore, “I just threw the only fucking thing that could’ve gotten me out. Brilliant!”</p><p>At this point Marc would say that it couldn’t get any worse but he didn’t feel like tempting fate anymore than he already has.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Flee the Facility but this Time there is Ghosts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nath is just here for his bf fuck the rest of you</p><p>Marc is slightly loopy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marc wasn’t here. That was the first thing Nathaniel noticed when they got into the Mansion. He knows logically no one keeps a hostage on the first floor but it still panicked him. He scoured the house, finding no trace of him, nor Gabriel surprisingly. Lila on the other hand was found in the study, reading through a large file. </p><p> </p><p>Surprisingly, she broke pretty easily, it only took a few threatening hand gestures before she told them of the entrance to the basement behind the painting. How unoriginal, does Gabriel have no sense of creativity? </p><p> </p><p>There was a secret cabinet that contained many numbered notebooks labeled “Research” and “Ghosts” ; both in distinctively different handwriting and seemed innocent enough, but Nathaniel felt something was off about them so he suggested to the group to grab them.</p><p> </p><p>Part of Nathaniel was screaming at him for not phasing through the ground and saving his boyfriend already. He was <em>right there</em>, but he knew he couldn’t. There was something keeping Marc there and he would be of no help if he charged into this without any form of plan so begrudgingly, he stayed with the group that Marinette had assembled, a group of kids whose names he couldn't give any less of a damn about and Luka.</p><p> </p><p>______</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Marc has decided he is not into bondage. He has been tied up for a long ass time and he  yelled ‘red’ a shit-ton yet no one has untied him. So no he doesn't like bondage.</p><p> </p><p>On a better note he hears swearing from the room behind him so Gabbie must be angry. Good for him. </p><p> </p><p>Oh the doors gone.</p><p> </p><p>Oh Nath's here thats nice.</p><p> </p><p>WAIT NATH.</p><p> </p><p>“Babe? When did yo-”</p><p> </p><p>“No time to talk let's get you the antidote” Fine be like that</p><p> </p><p>Luckily Marc didn't have to wait too long for the antidote, seeing as it was on the desk right in front of him, how did he not notice? And within moments he dropped through the floor, fun.</p><p> </p><p>Once his range of mobility was back the first thing Marc did was practically throw himself at Nathaniel. “Babe, you're boiling over” he murmured leaning into the heat that felt almost alive  “and you're freezing, now come on we have to book it before Mr. Grumpypants comes to and grabs us both, then we can talk.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sorry its short, I lost motivation but wanted y'all to know what happened to the boys. I might someday come back and rework this and I might add on funny moments that happen during their travels but no promises, hope you enjoyed the story &lt;3</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Deciding to leave the bakery was hard for Marc, but he knew it would be for the best. Gabriel knew where to find him now; and he didn’t doubt that he would find his way out of prison. Bail or just plain escaping would probably be very easy for the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He learned the answers to a few questions he had, the woman from the coffin was Emile Agreste, Adrien - who Mari was apparently fucking - Agreste’s Mother who had been missing for a while now. And yes she did in fact die from head trauma from a blunt object.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a lot of bickering about where to go and Luka deciding he wanted to go as well; they decided that they wouldn’t pick, nomadic travelers, as Nathaniel said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Running around in large valleys in the States, floating atop of the tallest mountain, and going to the bottom of the Marianas Trench were some of the many things they did. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was also very satisfying to watch the internet freak out when 3 dead people appeared in pictures from around the world. ‘Creepypastas’ as Mari called them, were springing up all over. But it was very satisfying when a Reddit user found out who Nathaniel was and finally solved his case.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the world was seen a loud voice boomed from the heavens asking them if they wished to be reincarnated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glancing down at the courtyard where Marinette received her Diploma, the trio collectively shook their heads, they were happy right where they were.</span>
</p>
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